We catch up with Associate Professor, and Discipline Chair of Literature, Stephanie Russo to discuss how Anne Boleyn contributed to a shift in her research focus as well as her upcoming monograph on the use of deliberate anachronisms in historical fiction.
1. What is your background and what brought you to Macquarie?
I’ve always been at Macquarie! Well, for a long time, at least. I started in 2002 as a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws student and then never left. I’m not sure why I did Law when I always knew that I just wanted to study English. I just like to read a lot, really.
2. How did you originally become interested in your area of research, and what keeps you interested in it?
Well, I’ve had a bit of a turn in my research trajectory recently! I started out working on eighteenth-century women’s fiction, which I still love. I then wrote a book chapter about representations of the Tudor queen Anne Boleyn in eighteenth-century women’s writing. I became obsessed with how Anne Boleyn has been represented in fiction, and why there’s so much fiction about her. Anyway, I ended up writing a book called The Afterlife of Anne Boleyn, which covers four hundred years of historical fiction about Anne Boleyn, and I’ve stuck with historical fiction since then. It makes sense, really – it’s the perfect union of my love of history with my love of fiction. And it means I get to do a bit of everything; I might be reading and writing on fiction about the ancient world one day, and then Civil War America the next.
3. Tell us a bit about your current research and what makes it so important?
I’m currently writing a monograph on the use of deliberate anachronisms in historical fiction, called The Anachronistic Turn in Historical Fiction, Drama, Film and Television. So I’m very interested in why and how historical fictions of all types include deliberately contemporary references. I think most people would be aware, for example, of the fact that there’s a pair of Converse sneakers in the Sofia Coppola film Marie Antoinette. Anyway, anachronisms are becoming really common in historical fiction, especially in historical television series like Bridgerton. I became really fascinated with what these moments say about how we think about the relationship between history and fiction when I started watching the brilliant television series Dickinson on Apple TV Plus, which is about the poet Emily Dickinson. The show just about blew the top of my head off. So now I’m writing a book about that, focusing on historical novels, dramas, musicals (Six!) and television and films. It’s so much fun and very timely. I actually can’t keep up with all the new anachronistic texts anymore.
4. Is there something you would like staff to know about?
The unit ENGL1050 Grammar and Writing. I honestly think all students should be doing this unit! Written communication skills are so important, and as I keep telling my students, it doesn’t matter if you have the best ideas in the world, if you can’t communicate them effectively, it doesn’t matter. It’s designed to appeal to students from across all Faculties, not just Arts.
5. What do you need to do your best work?
Silence, coffee and lots of mess. Nobody who has seen my office will be surprised by this.
6. What is the most impressive/useful/advanced piece of equipment you use in your work?
A computer? My work is extremely non-techy. I even still write notes by hand and have a variety of half-full overpriced notebooks everywhere. See above re mess.
7. What do people always ask you when they find out what you do for a living?
Mostly they’re confused, or they ask me to tutor their kids in HSC English.
8. What is something you’ve read recently that has had an impact on you?
Lavie Tidhar’s By Force Alone – it’s this wild, rough and violent retelling of the King Arthur legend that’s really a story about Brexit. I liked it so much I just about dropped everything to write an article about it (forthcoming in Arthuriana!).
9. What is your definition of success?
Drinking less than four coffees a day and rocking an amazing coat.
10. A bit about where you live and what you like about it?
I live in the local area and I enjoy the lack of commute. I can be home in less than ten minutes. Also, the Humans of Eastwood Instagram account is perfection. Good luck everyone!
11. What would people be surprised to know about you or your work?
I’m a complete fitness junkie and obsessed with Les Mills group fitness classes. I even have the merch.
12. What is on your agenda for the remainder of 2022?
Finishing my book on anachronism and historical fiction, mostly. I also have a few smaller projects to complete. And I’m always thinking of the next project. Also trying to perfect my crow pose.